When was the last time you really thought about the functionality of your spatula? Probably never! But we recently went down a very dark and weird rabbit hole, looking at all the options on the market. As it turns out, there are a lot of different kinds of spatulas out there — with some major variations in form and function!
To narrow down the pool, we scoured the internet for evidence pointing to a few of our favorite chefs’ favorite spatulas, we then sourced the goods and rigorously faced them off in a head-to head battle. We made multiple loaf cakes, scrambled eggs, pancakes, and waffles. Work is so hard.
Here are the spatula picks from Gail Simmons, Chrissy Teigen, Carla Hall, and Giada De Laurentiis, and what they think of them. Plus, what we thought of each of them.
Gail’s Favorite: Silicone Angled Spatula with Copper Handle
In a roundup on People of celebrity chefs’ favorite kitchen tools, Gail Simmons professed her love for this flashy spatula because “it gets into every nook and corner of bowls and jars, from cranberry sauce to caramel to peanut butter.”
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The head of this spatula is heat-resistant up to 600 degrees (cool!) but the entire gadget is hand-wash only (less cool!). The care instructions suggest using copper cleaner to “remove any tarnishing that may develop with use,” which is a lot of effort for this particular kind of kitchen gadget.
According to Williams Sonoma, this combination of “lustrous copper-colored handles [and] hardworking silicone, blend superior functionality and fresh modern style.” There’s no denying that this spatula looks super chic, but does it get the job done? We gave it a spin to find out.
Kitchn’s Thoughts
While mixing a fairly standard batter, we observed that the angled edge is great for scooping up every drop. But we had one major gripe with the tool: the handle gets really smudgy. Of course, that comes with the territory of anything copper-colored, but even after washing this with dish soap and a sponge, you could definitely still spot fingerprints. We recommend getting this spatula if you’re not the world’s biggest baker, but still want to have it sticking out of a utensil crock for show.
Rating: 5/10
Buy: Silicone Angled Spatula with Copper Handle, $15 at Williams Sonoma
Chrissy’s Favorite: Cravings Silicone Head Spatula with Wood Handle
When Chrissy Teigen launched the Cravings collection with Target, she gushed that “having my cookware play a small part in people’s kitchens, on their tables, and in their lives makes me feel like we’re all cooking in my home together.” She’s not just saying that, either! If you follow Chrissy on Instagram, you’ll see her cooking with her own gear, including this stunning spatula, in her own home. So of course, we gave it a spin in our home, too.
Kitchn’s Thoughts
The major factor that differentiated this spatula from the others is that silicone head is supremely bendy. This made it pretty good at getting the last bit of batter from the corners, but definitely took some getting used to. It’s fine for normal tasks like scrambling eggs and making brownies, but we’re not sure we’d want to use this spatula for making something like Rice Krispies Treats (because we’d be afraid the head would snap off!). Also, it’s hand-wash only.
Rating: 6/10
Buy now: Cravings Silicone Head Spatula with Wood Handle, $5 at Target
Carla’s Favorite: Rubbermaid High-Heat Silicone Spatula
In an interview with Architectural Digest, Carla Hall confessed that her top pick on her list of “common chef things that I can’t live without” is a high-heat rubber spatula. “They’re perfect for scrambling eggs, stirring sauces, and scraping the last bits out of bowls and jars.”
This utilitarian Rubbermaid version is designed for the pros with a cool-touch handle and a super-sturdy rubber blade that’s stain-resistant. And it’s dishwasher-safe.
Kitchn’s Thoughts
This spatula, with its extremely proportional stiffness-to-bendiness ratio is an absolute workhorse. Any serious home cook should probably have this durable gadget in their gear drawer for any and all spatula-involving tasks. While it’s not the prettiest spatula of the bunch, it’s incredibly functional, and that’s what matters.
Rating: 9/10
Buy now: Rubbermaid High-Heat Silicone Spatula, $9
Giada’s Favorite: GIR’s Silicone Ultimate Spoonula
When talking about her favorite can’t-live-without kitchen tools on a Today Show segment, Giada singled out this one saying, “This guy can be used for something as simple as scrambled eggs but also for getting every last bit of cake batter from the bowl.”
This scooper/scraper is made of “platinum silicone,” has a thick handle with a fiberglass core, is dishwasher-safe,and comes in eight different colors. It also comes with a lifetime guarantee.
Kitchn’s Thoughts
Out of the four spatulas we tested, this one made us audibly say “wow.” It’s flexible but not too flexible and, because it’s concave, whatever you scoop is less likely to spill out over the edges.
We love a gadget that serves a dual purpose, so the fact that this one functions as both a spatula and a scooper took it across the finish line as the winner. We also love that this is all one piece, so there’s no grooves or spaces for batter (or bacteria!) to hide! GIR stands for “Get It Right,” and with this tool, they definitely did. Note: We also swear by the brand’s Ultimate 11-Inch Spatula.
Rating: 10/10
Buy now: GIR’s Silicone Ultimate Spoonula, $13
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